OMS Changes: An Update for CACs and Chapters
In Fall 2024, NCA is releasing some exciting additions and updates to OMS. This page is designed to answer common questions about these updates. You can also reach out to us anytime at omscoordinator@nca-online.org.
The changes described below DO NOT change the day-to-day implementation of OMS for CACs. These updates also do not require new OMS survey links or new OMS results dashboard login credentials.
What is new in OMS?
- New Mental Health Services Survey
NCA is thrilled to announce the development of a new survey tool in the OMS toolbox. The new Mental Health Services Survey is designed to capture caregivers’ feedback specifically about their children’s experiences with mental health counseling at a CAC or linkage provider. The survey was developed by the NCA Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes, in partnership with clinical and research experts across the country. The survey was pilot tested by 25 CACs in the spring of 2024.
This optional new tool will automatically be available to all current OMS users in October – watch your email on October 21 for your new mental health services survey link. This link will be emailed from within Qualtrics; check your spam and junk folders if you don’t see the email right away. You can also email NCA at omscoordinator@nca-online.org for your Center’s unique Mental Health Services Survey Link after October 21, 2024.
NCA will also provide printable copies of the survey in English and Spanish, along with more detailed implementation resources in October 2024.
- Updates to the Initial and Follow-up Caregiver Surveys
NCA is making small updates to the two OMS caregiver surveys. These include updating demographic questions to be more inclusive, and to be in alignment with the way that demographic information is captured in NCA Statistics. We are also adding two questions that assess caregivers’ perceptions of the degree to which their, and their child’s identities were respected during their time at the CAC. These changes were also pilot tested with a group of volunteer CACs. The updated Initial and Follow-up Caregiver Surveys will also go “live” on October 21.
- Updated procedures for adding custom questions to printable OMS surveys
All OMS surveys contain standardized items that are common across all OMS users and that cannot be changed or deleted. As before, CACs can request that custom questions be added to their OMS surveys, including the new mental health services survey. NCA will continue to add these questions to CACs’ online surveys. After October 2024, however, NCA will ask CACs to add questions to printable versions of customized surveys, and to ensure that their paper surveys match their online surveys. NCA will provide survey template documents that have core OMS survey questions locked for editing, but that provide CACs with a space to add their custom questions. Please note that while NCA is launching OMS updates, we have paused the addition of new custom questions to OMS surveys. We will resume honoring requests for new customizations in November 2024.
What do OMS users need to do?
CACs who use printable paper and pencil surveys to collect responses from caregivers and who have already added custom questions to their initial or follow-up caregiver surveys will need updated printable surveys. These can also be requested using the OMS survey update request form.
NCA will handle updates to printable surveys for CACs with custom survey questions one final time for this round of updates. CACs can also decide to start managing their own customizations now and use the survey link described above to request the modifiable survey template. Requests for updates to customized, printable surveys must be received via the above request form by September 13, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will training be available regarding these updates?
Yes! We will hold an informational webinar regarding these updates on October, 2024, at 3:00 Eastern – REGISTER HERE. Additionally, we will update the OMS User’s Manual and technical assistance materials available to OMS users prior to the launch of these updates.
Do the updates to the caregiver surveys change the way we give surveys to caregivers or enter data?
The updates to the OMS Caregiver surveys do not change anything about the way CACs use OMS. For CACs who collect information exclusively online, absolutely nothing will change – these CACs will simply notice that on October 21, the updates to the surveys will appear on the online surveys that caregivers complete. Parallel updates will appear in the OMS results dashboard with no steps needed from the CAC.
For CACs who collect some caregiver surveys via paper and pencil, the only change needed is to swap out the “old” version of the printable caregiver surveys with the updated versions that will be provided in early October. If a CAC uses paper and pencil surveys AND has previously requested that custom questions be added to their survey, they need to request an updated customized paper and pencil survey via the survey update request form. Please note that, moving forward, customizations to paper and pencil surveys will be the responsibility of CACs.
What is the timeline for these new updates?
NCA will officially turn all of the updates to OMS surveys “on” on October 21, 2024. Prior to the launch, NCA will take the following steps:
- September 13 – For CACs with custom questions on Caregiver surveys who collect surveys via paper and pencil: complete the survey update request form.
- Early October 2024 – NCA provides updated printable OMS surveys to OMS users
- October 15 at 3:00 – Webinar regarding OMS updates (this will be recorded and posted to NCA Engage for those unable to attend).
- October 21 – All updates are launched. OMS Users will receive an email from Qualtrics with their new Mental Health Service Survey link, and will see updates to the caregiver surveys reflected in the online surveys. OMS users who use paper and pencil surveys should start using the updated versions on this day.
- November 2024 – NCA resumes taking requests to add new customized questions to OMS surveys.
What does the new Mental Health Survey cover?
The new OMS Mental Health Service Survey is designed to elicit caregiver feedback about mental health services at a CAC or linkage provider. The new survey asks caregivers about the accessibility of mental health services, caregiver engagement, and whether counseling services have been helpful to the child and caregiver. These surveys can be given to caregivers at any point after the start of the counseling process.
What are the updates to the OMS Caregiver surveys?
To enhance inclusiveness and bring OMS into alignment with NCA Statistics, NCA updated the demographic questions regarding children’s gender and racial identities items to the following:
What is your child’s gender identity? Check all that apply: Female, Male, Transgender female, Transgender male, Non-binary, another gender identity, prefer not to say
What is your child’s race/ethnicity? Check all that apply: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, White/Caucasian, American Indian or Alaska Native, East or Southeast Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, South Asian, Multi-racial, Another racial identity.
NCA also adjusted age categories within the child age question to come into alignment with VOCA categories, and added two questions regarding the degree to which caregivers felt that their, and their child’s identities were respected at the Center, e.g.:
The Center provided services in a way that respects my personal identity (e.g., race, religion, culture, gender, sexual identity, disability, etc.) [Strongly agree —- Strongly Disagree]
The updated gender identity question is OPTIONAL for CACs and States. If you would like to opt out of the new gender identity question, please contact omscoordinator@nca-online.org
Our CAC is in a county or state in which it is difficult to ask about gender identity in an expansive way. Can we opt out of the new gender identity question?
Yes. NCA is committed to inclusiveness and belonging and hopes that the new gender identity question can be used as much as possible. We also recognize that in some jurisdictions, collecting information about trans- or non-binary gender identities could create challenges for the CAC or families. Therefore, unlike all other core survey items in the OMS surveys, CACs can request that all response options except “male,” “female,” and “Prefer not to say” can be removed from their caregiver and mental health services surveys. Please email omscoordinator@nca-online.org to make this request.
We have custom questions added to my caregiver survey(s) AND collect some surveys via paper and pencil. How do we get an updated version of our custom survey?
Updated, printable copies of surveys with custom additions can be requested via the updated survey request form. These requests must be received by September 13.
Please note that after this round of updates, CACs will be responsible for maintaining customizations to their own printable surveys. NCA will provide survey templates in Microsoft word that have core OMS items locked for editing, and a modifiable section where CACs can add their custom questions. NCA will continue to add custom questions to the online surveys and OMS results dashboards. If you would like to start using the templates now, you can request them using the updated survey request form.
We are a state chapter and have added custom questions on one or both caregiver surveys for all CACs in our state. How do we get an updated version of our custom survey?
NCA will continue to provide updated printable surveys for states who have added a customization to an OMS survey for their entire membership. Please contact NCA at omscoordinator@nca-online.org with questions about this, or to request your updated printable survey.
What is happening to the Enhance Early Engagement (E3) and Healing Measures pilot project questions?
The E3 pilot project and the Healing Measures research project have ended. Questions associated with these projects will no longer appear on OMS surveys.